Breast feeding is often augmented by breast pumping, which utilizes a manual or electric pumping device, of which there are many brands and styles. The CDC estimates over 70% of all new mothers start off breast feeding and nearly 25% are still doing so at twelve months after delivery. Worldwide, it is estimated that the breast pump market will reach over 5.6 million units sold annually by 2015.
Many women have difficulty knowing whether or not milk is actually being expressed from the breast. This can be due to a variety of reasons: poor lighting in the room, nighttime pumping, condensation in the breast shield, milk spray accumulating on the sides of the breast shield, and even the non-transparency of the plastic used in the breast shield.
As a result, women are often left to wonder if they are expressing milk while using a breast pump. In some case, they must use their free hand to hold a light up to the pump for illumination. This hand is then not available to manually massage the breast, which is often necessary as milk flow slows down, or hold the baby.
Accordingly there is a need for an accessory light for a breast pump apparatus to allow for the illumination of the breast shield. This device allows women to reduce the anxiety that may come with the process of breastfeeding and may also free up a woman's hand for other purposes.
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The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.